Furnace and boiler cleaner



Nov. l, 1927. 1,647,817

F. E. ROBERTS FURNACE AND BOILER CLEANER Filed Jan. 19, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTOR/ BY v ,f

'i ATTORNY Patented Nov. 1, 1927.7'

i UNITED STATES' .PATENT oFFicE.

FRANK E. ROBERTS, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T VIDA SPAlTEOF OAKWOOD, OI-IlO.

FURNACE'AND BOILER CLEANER.

Application filed January IThis invention relates to new and useful lt is one of the principal objects of my invention to provideL simple and eihcient means for removing soot, ashes, dust andr other foreign matter from the recesses `of furnaces, boilers, retorts, ranges, stovesand other similar devicesby suction and the deylivery of said particles to a proper receptecle- It is a further object of my invention to provide simple and efficient means for 11emoving foreign matter from the inaccessible recesses of furnaces, boilers, retorts, and the heat pipes, smoke pipes and air ductsused in connection therewith, by directing a blast of air through the above and causing said foreign matter to be carried along until deposited in a desiredplace, suchas an ash pit or clean-out chamber.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specilication, and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims. .In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my furnace and boiler cleaning device. VFigure 2 is an elevational view of the blower end. Figure lis a plan view of device. Figure 4 is a lon-` gitudinal sectional view taken through the saine-on the line-4 4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken through the blower on the line 5 5 of Figure 1. Figure-6 is an end view showing my device arranged for suction purposes. And Figure 7 is'an end view of the device when operating kas a blower.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detaileddescription of the form of embodiment of my invention illustrated therein, the numeral 1 designates a container which is. preferably constructed of ,sheet metal andmounted on feet or supports 2,

with an outwardly projecting flange 3 formed along its upper edge.

The container 1 is provided with a vsuitable cover 4 which also serves as a mounting for the apparatus to be hereinafter described. This cover ismaintained in an air tight re.. lationship with the container 1 by means of ay suitable gasket 5 and a removable thumb 19, 1925. seria1vN. 3,346.

screw `6 which `passes throughr .the cover,"

gasket and rim. (Spee Figures i 4 and V 5.) Mounted upon the cover 4 near one rend ,of it, is a sub-base 7 for an electric motor `V8. .This

sub-base is formed with curvedpassage .9" which terminates at one end in the outer face of :the sub-base and at its other end infan opening 10 in the cover 4. The enter end of the passage 9 is provided with a tubular portion 11 for the reception of onevend of [a suction hose. (See Figures 4, 6 and 7.)

Secured at the opposite end ofthe cover 4 is a centrifugal blower 12 whose shaft 13 is in alinement with the shaft of the *motor 8y and connected thereto by means of acoupling 14. (See Figures 1, 4 and 5.) The centrifugal blower 12 isprovided with a split casing 15, 15, having integral with one half of it a suitable bearing 16 for the, Shaft 13, and at its lower edge being formed with a mounting flange or support 17. The other half 15 of the casing has centrally located in its outer face an inlet passage 18 communi, cating with the top of the container 1f by means of a passage 19 through the latter.

The inlet passage 18 1s providedl with Va bypass 2O which hashinged to its outer face a cover 21. v a hinge bolt 22 and Ithumb nut 23 which en',-Av gages 'in aslot 24 in said cover. Attached to the Yinner face of the cover 21 is a deflector 21L tov direct air into the blower from vtlfie passage 19. (See Figure 4.) The two halves 15. 15 of the casing are connected together by means of bolts 25 through the flanges 26, 26 of adjacent faces of the casing halves. (See Figures 4 and 5.) A

Secured .to the inner end of` the shaft 13 within the casing 15, is an impeller 27 have ing secured to its hub eight equally spaced The latter isA held in place by ward impetus to the air as it is drawn in through the passage 18. (See Figures 4 and 5.)

The casing 15 is provided on one side with an outlet whose outer face is tangent with the casing and which is provided at its lower end with a flange 31. This flange has on diametrically opposite sides projections or ears 32 formed with threaded holes 33 adapted to receive the threaded ends. of thumb screws 34. (See Figure 1.) When the device is used for suction purposes, the foreign particles drawn into it are discharged through the outlet 30 into a receptacle or bag 35; and when the device is used as a blower, the outlet is provided with an adapter 36 to receive one end of a flexible hose 37 (See Figures Gand 7.)

The bag 35 is preferably of close-woven, dust-tight material, and closed, except at its upper end which is provided with a neck 38.

f The latter receives the lower end ofan elbow 39, which is secured to it by means of a clamping ring 40 provided with a thumb screw 40a whereby the bag may be easily removed for emptying purposes. (See Figure 6.)

The upper end of the elbow 39 is provided with a flange 41 similar to the flange 31 and having on its one side a radial U-shaped'slot 42 and on its other side a circular slot 43. The slots 42^and 43 in conjunction with the screws 34, provide an easy means of detaching the bag 35 and elbow 39. (See Figures 1 and 2.)

The adapter 36 consists of a tubular member 44 terminating at its lower end in a reduced portion 45 over which the blower tube or hose 37 is forced and clamped in place by a hose clamp 46 or any other suitable means. The opposite end terminates in a flange 47 similar to the flange 41 and provid-ed with slots 48 and slots 49 similar to the slots 42 and slots 43. (See'Figure 3.)

' The container 1 is provided with a screen 50 extending the full depth and width of the container. The screen 50 is preferably of wire mesh of suflicient coarseness to pass small particles, yet preventing the passage of coarse particles of foreigny matter. (See Figure 4.)

Between the screen 50 and the inlet passage 19 to the blower 12, is another screen 51 parallel to the screen 50 and likewise extendf ing the full depth and width of the container 1. (See Figures 4 and 5.) The screen 51 is preferably ofl coarse fabric similar to common burlap, and is secured upon a framework 52 which is mounted within the container. It is the function of this screen to pass minute particles of foreign matter such as dust, yet to prevent the movement through it of the larger particles which have passed through the screen 50.

The operation of my device will rst be described as a suction one for the removal of accumulated soot, ashes and dust from the recesses of a furnace, boiler or similar structure. rllhe electric motor 8 may beoperated from a standard household, socket connection to cause the blower 12 to be rotated at high speed. A. suction. hose 53 is adapted to be attached to the tubular portion 11 of the passage 9 to create a suction through it and the container 1 when the bypass connection 21 is closed and the blower 12 is rotated by the motor. The hose 53 is free to be inserted in the space or recess to be cleaned to draw from the latter by suction the foreign matter therein. The large particles of foreign matter lodge in the first compartmentof the container 1, since 'they are unable to-pass throughthe screen 50, the lesser 4particles being drawn through the latter into the middle compartment between the scr-eens 50 and 51, while the dust is drawnthrough both screens and the blower 12 for deposit within thebag 35 whose neck 38 is attached to the elbow 39. (See Figure 6.) To permit the removal of the large and small particles of foreign matter from the lirst and middle compartments of the container, the cover 4 with all the apparatus attached thereto may be easily detached'from the latter.

)Vhen the device is used as ablower to clean out places diiiicult of access, the bag 35 is removed and the adapter 36 and hose 37 attached in its place. The hose 53 is also removed from the, device andV the bypass cover 21 opened to permit the air to be drawn in through the passage 2O inst'ead'of through the passage 19, and forcedy out through the hose'37 into recesses difficult ofV access in boilers, Vfurnaces .and the like to blow therefrom particles of foreign matte which has lodged within them.

n' Having described my invention,1 claim:

1. A. device of t-he type described comprising a rectangular containeropen at the top, a removable-cover for said container, a pa-ir of vertical screens projecting from thebottom of said container to its removable top to divide'it into three compartments, said cover formed with a suction hol-e over the first compartment, said cover also formed with a hole over the third compartment, a blower mounted on said cover ov-er the last mentionedhole and in communication therethrough with the i suction passage that leads from the suctionV hole over the first compartment through the screen partitions to the third compartment,

and a motor in operative connection with l said blower also mounted on said cov-er.

' 2. A device of the type described comprising a rectangular container open at the top, a removable cover for said container,A a pair of vertical screens projecting from'the bottom of said container to its removable cover Y to divide it into three compartments, said cover formed with a suction hole over the first compartment, asub-base mounted on the over the last mentioned hole and in comcover over said hole and having a suction munication therethrough With the suction l0 passage communicating through the last passage that leads from the sub-basethrough mentioned hole with the first compartment, a the Screens to the third compartment.

5 motor mounted on said sub-base, said @over In testimony whereof I have hereunto set also formed with a hole over the third commy hand this 16th day of January,l925. partment, and a blower in operative oonneotion with the motor, mounted on said cover FRANK E. ROBERTS. 

